Back in 3 weeks!

Off on my travels, will be eating my way around Thailand (all in the name of research)! Come back in the new year for more recipes. Happy Xmas to everyone at Crossfit Hove.

Paleo Cookies

Xmas Spice Cookies
Makes 10

Ingredients
1 cup / 225g almond butter
1 Egg
2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup / 112g raisins (soaked in warm water)
2 Tbsp dessicated unsweetened coconut
Clementine zest
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg

1)Beat everything together.
2) Cover baking tray with baking parchment.
3) Use Tbsp to place 10 balls of mixture onto the tray. Compress gently with fork.
4) Bake in oven for 10-15 mins at 180c

Indian Spice Cookies
Makes 10

Ingredients
3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 cup / 225g almonds
1/2 cup / 112g dessicated unsweetened coconut
1 Tsp coconut oil
1 Egg
1Tsp vanilla extract
1/2 Tsp nutmeg
1/4 Tsp Cardamon seeds, black seeds removed and crushed

1)Whiz everything except egg in food processor. Then gently mix in egg. You should end up with a thick batter.
2) Cover baking tray with baking parchment.
3) Use Tbsp to place 10 balls of mixture onto the tray. Compress gently with fork.
4) Bake in oven for 10-15mins at 180c.

Tuna Burger

Serves: 2 x 3 blocks protein, 3 blocks fat

Ingredients
9oz / 255g fresh tuna steak (6 blocks protein)
1-2 Tsp Wasabi paste or English mustard
1 Tsp oil (3 blocks fat)
3 Tsp sesame seeds (3 blocks fat)
Salt & Pepper

1) Pulse tuna in food processor until coarsely minced. Mix in wasabi paste or mustard, sesame seeds and season with salt and pepper.
2) Divide into 2 equal sized portions and shape into burgers.
3) Place on a baking tray. Rub with oil and cook in oven (200c) for about 15 mins until golden brown and cooked through.

TIP: Remember to 'carb up' to balance your meal. We had a salsa made with tomatoes, red onion, green chilli and squeeze of lime.

TIP: Sesame seeds make it into the Top 100 zone foods! Sneak them in wherever you can.

Mexican Chilli Beef Peppers

Serves: 4 x 3 block meals

Ingredients
2oz / 57g cheddar cheese (2 blocks protein)
15oz / 450g lean mince beef (10 blocks protein)
4 red peppers (2 blocks carb)
1 cup / approx 100g onion, chopped (2 blocks carb)
1 1/2 cups / 400g tin tomatoes (2 blocks carb)
1 cup / approx 185g black beans (4 blocks carb)
1/2 cup / approx 105g chickpeas (2 blocks carb)
4 Tsp vegetable oil (12 blocks fat)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
1 Tsp cumin seeds
1 Tsp smoked paprika
150ml strong black coffee
Black pepper

For the chilli
1) Gently saute onion, garlic and chilli for a few mins until onion is softened. Add cumin seeds and paprika and cook for a further minute.
2) Add mince and cook until brown.
3) Throw in everything else...tin tomatoes, black beans, chickpeas and coffee (yes, coffee!). Simmer gently for about 30 mins or until the sauce has thickened and is rich dark brown in colour. Season with black pepper.

For the peppers
1) Whilst chilli is simmering, cut top off peppers and scoop out seeds. Stand cut side down on a baking tray and rub skin with small amount of olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 mins until soft and slightly charred. They should be soft but not collapsed.
2) When chilli is cooked, divide the mixture evenly and fill each pepper. Sprinkle with grated cheese and brown under the grill if you wish.

TIP: Not sure how Nescafe would taste, but give it a go if you haven't got anything else!

Roast Fennel & Charred Pepper Salad with Chicken Kebabs

Serves: 2 x 3 block meals

6oz / 170g chicken breast, cubed (6 blocks protein)
1 Tbsp harissa paste
Juice of 1/2 lemon (1/2 block carb)
3 red peppers (1 1/2 blocks carb)
3 cups / approx 700g fennel bulbs (4 blocks carb)
15 olives (3 blocks fat)
1 Tsp (5ml) olive oil (3 blocks fat)

Optional salad dressing
1 Tbsp (15ml) cider vinegar
1 Tbsp (15ml) olive oil (9 blocks fat)

For the kebabs
1)Marinate chicken cubes in harissa paste and lemon juice for an hour or so. If using bamboo skewers soak them in water at the same time. This will stop them from burning when cooking.
2) Thread chicken onto skewers and cook under hot grill or in griddle pan for about 15 mins, turning occasionally, until cooked through.

For the salad
1) Cut fennel bulbs into quarters, removing the fronds (fluffy bits at the top) for garnish later. Place in baking tray with olive oil and roast in the oven for 30-40mins until fennel is soft and slightly caramelised.
2) Meanwhile, cut peppers in have, remove seeds and place under very hot grill, skin side up until skin is blistered and totally black. Usually 5-10 mins. Leave to cool for a couple of mins and then remove black skin (it should peel away easily!). Tear pepper into strips.
3) When fennel is cooked mix with peppers and olives. Sprinkle salad with lemon zest and fennel fronds. Drizzle with some of the salad dressing if using (remember this will increase the number of fat blocks per serving, but you probably won't need all of it).

TIP: If charring your own peppers sounds like a hassle, you can buy jars of roasted red pepper. If you do this, try to get vinegar rather than oil based.

Sole Supper

Serves: 1 x 2 block meal

Ingredients
3oz / 85g lemon sole fillet, skinless & boneless (2 blocks protein)
12 asparagus spears (1 block carb)
1 1/3 cup / approx 200g baby courgettes, halved (1 block carb)
2/3 Tsp olive oil (2 blocks fat)
Lemon
Flat leaf parsley
Black pepper
Extra olive oil for drizzling on veg if not strictly measuring fat blocks

1) Heat oil in non stick frying pan & gently fry the fish for a couple of mins, then turn for a further couple of mins until cooked.
2) At the same time, steam the veg for 3-4 mins.
3) When both fish & veg cooked sprinkle with lemon zest and flat leaf parsley, squeeze of lemon juice & splash of olive oil over both. Season. Serve.

Quick Miso Soup

Serves: 1 x 2 block meal

Ingredients
2oz / 57g cooked chicken, shredded (2 blocks protein)
1 cup / approx 115g green beans (1 block carb)
2 cups / approx 135g mushrooms, thickly sliced (1 block carb)
1/2 Tsp sunflower seeds (2 blocks fat)
1 Tbsp fresh miso paste
1 Tsp fresh grated ginger
Sesame seeds to garnish

1)Bring 500ml water to the boil in a pan and add green beans. Cook for 4-5 mins or until al dente. Add mushrooms and cook for a further 1-2 mins. Then stir in shredded chicken and ginger.
2) Take the pan off the heat, and then stir in miso paste.
3) It's ready to serve! Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.

TIP: Do not cook miso! It can destroy the nutritional properties.
TIP: Miso is listed as one of the Top 100 Zone foods. Source: The Top 100 Zone Foods, Barry Sears.
TIP: Other good things to chuck in a miso soup are shredded spinach, beansprouts, spring onions, tofu, shredded cabbage.